Drip molding for a convertible top

ABSTRACT

A side drip molding for attachment to the side rail of a frame that supports a convertible top on a vehicle body. The drip molding has a gutter portion and two retaining flange portions molded from a flexible material. The drip molding includes a clip portion formed as part of one of the two retaining flanges. The clip portion has a lip portion and rib portion to mount and hold the drip molding on the side rail.

Elite States ate De Claire et a1.

[ 51 Apr. 4, 1972 [54] DRIP MOLDING FOR A CONVERTIBLE TOP [72]Inventors: James H. De Claire, Mt. Clemens; Floyd 1. Dully, Detroit;Neil A. Hull, Birmingham,

all of Mich.

[731 Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit,

Mich.

[22] Filed: May 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 34,446

[52] US. Cl ..296/107, 52/11, 296/135 [51] Int. Cl. ..B60j 7/00 {58]Field of Search ..296/28 R, 116,107, 135, 137;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,823,541 9/1931 Herron..296/135 2,524,171 10/1950 Karsted ..296/107 2,572,592 10/1951 Brandtet a1. .296/135 X 2,686,691 8/1954 Burrell ..296/107 PrimaryExaminer-Benjamin Hersh Assistant ExaminerWinston l-l. DouglasAttorneyW. E. F inken, Herbert F urman and R. L. Phillips ABSTRACT Aside drip molding for attachment to the side rail of a frame thatsupports a convertible top on a vehicle body. The drip molding has agutter portion and two retaining flange portions molded from a flexiblematerial. The drip molding includes a clip portion formed as part of oneof the two retaining flanges. The clip portion has a lip portion and ribportion to mount and hold the drip molding on the side rail.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DRIP MOLDING FOR A CONVERTIBLE TOP Thepresent invention generally relates to drip moldings for a convertibletop and more particularly to a drip molding requiring no separate clipsfor mounting on a vehicle.

The drip molding according to this invention is a one piece structurethat includes a gutter portion and two retaining flange portions. AU-shaped clip portion is formed as part of one of the retaining flangeportions allowing the drip molding to be easily mounted on a framesupporting a convertible top without the use of separate clips. Afeature of the present invention is that it provides a drip molding of aflexible material which can be inexpensively and easily manufactured inlarge quantities.

This and other features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following specification and drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a convertible type vehicle bodyhaving a drip molding according to this inventron;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view with parts in section of the drip moldingshown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, a vehicle body has aconventional convertible top 12 mounted thereon. As shown in FIGURE 2,the frame of the top includes a side rail 14 on each side of the vehiclewhich supports a top fabric 15.

Each side rail 14 includes a laterally extending base portion 16'terminating in an upwardly and inwardly extending terminal leg or sideflange 18 that is at an acute angle to base portion 16.

A drip molding 20 according to this invention is mounted on the side ofthe side rail 14. The drip molding 20 is formed in one piece of aflexible material such as flexible plastic. The drip molding 20 includesa gutter portion 22 and two retaining flange portions 24 and 26extending longitudinally for the length of the drip molding 20.Retaining flanges 24 and 26 of the drip molding 20 are formed with anincluded angle between them which is less than the acute angle betweenthe side flange portion 18 and the base portion 16 of the side rail 14.A notch 28 is formed at the intersection of the retaining flanges 24 and26 to provide a reduced cross sectional area portion 29 at the junctureof the retaining flanges 24 and 26. The notch 28 thus provides aflexible joint allowing the retaining flanges 24 and 26 to pivot attheir juncture upon mounting of the drip molding 20. Thus the notch 28prevents permanent distortion of the retaining flanges 24 and 26. A clipportion designated at 31 having a U-shape is formed as part of theretaining flange 24 along the length thereof. The clip portion 31 isformed with a rib 32 extending longitudinally the length of the dripmolding 20. The rib 32 engages the edge 34 of side flange 18 andmaintains the drip molding 20 against a downward force applied to thegutter portion 22. At the extremity of clip portion 31 a lip portion 35is formed. The lip portion 35 engages the inner wall 36 of side flange18 upon mounting.

The drip molding 20 is mounted upon the side rail 14 by hooking clipportion 31 over side flange l8 and swinging the drip molding 20clockwise to spread the retaining flanges 24 and 26 apart to fit overthe larger included angle between the side flange l8 and the baseportion 16 of the side rail 14. Clip portion 31 clamps the externalsurfaces 36 and 38 of the side flange 18 since the normal space betweenlip portion 35 and the opposite leg of the clip portion 31 is less thanthe thickness of side flange 18. In the attached position, the retainingflanges 24 and 26 of the drip molding 20 fully engage the externalsurface 38 of the side flange portion 18 and the outer surface 40 ofbase portion 16, respectively. In this manner, the retaining flanges 24and 26 serve to locate and position the drip molding 20 with respect tothe frame means that supports the convertible top 12.

Thus the invention provides a drip molding that is easily mounted upon aconvertible type vehicle and requires no other parts to affix itthereto.

What is claimed is: 1. In combination with a vehicle convertible topincluding a side rail for extending longitudinally of a vehicle in araised position of the top and having a side flange portion extendingangularly to a base flange portion in a generally V-shapedconfiguration, a drip molding comprising, a gutter portion, a pair ofretaining flange portions integrally connected to the gutter portion andnormally defining an included angle less than the included angle definedby the side flange portion and base flange portion of the rail, theretaining flange portions being flexed away from each other to increasethe included angle therebetween and respectively seat against the outersides of the side flange portion and base flange portion of the railwhile covering the juncture thereof, and means on one of the retainingflange portions engaging the inner side of the respective rail flangeportion and cooperating with the one retaining flange portion to clampthe rail flange portion therebetween and position the drip moldingrelative to the rail.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means includes an elongatedU-shaped clip portion having a first leg joined to the one retainingflange portion and a terminal leg slidably engaging the inner side ofthe respective rail flange portion.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein one of the legs includes anelongated rib engaging the elongated edge of the respective rail flangeportion to further position the drip molding relative to the rail.

1. In combination with a vehicle convertible top including a side railfor extending longitudinally of a vehicle in a raised position of thetop and having a side flange portion extending angularly to a baseflange portion in a generally V-shaped configuration, a drip moldingcomprising, a gutter portion, a pair of retaining flange portionsintegrally connected to the gutter portion and normally defining anincluded angle less than the included angle defined by the side flangeportion and base flange portion of the rail, the retaining flangeportions being flexed away from each other to increase the includedangle therebetween and respectively seat against the outer sides of theside flange portion and base flange portion of the rail while coveringthe juncture thereof, and means on one of the retaining flange portionsengaging the inner side of the respective rail flange portion andcooperating with the one retaining flange portion to clamp the railflange portion therebetween and position the drip molding relative tothe rail.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means includes anelongated U-shaped clip portion having a first leg joined to the oneretaining flange portion and a terminal leg slidably engaging the innerside of the respective rail flange portion.
 3. The combination of claim2 wherein one of the legs includes an elongated rib engaging theelongated edge of the respective rail flange portion to further positionthe drip molding relative to the rail.